Spring-bed



(No Model.)

F. M. JEFFERY.

SPRING BED.

Patented Mar. 1

R O T. N E .V WW m Q WITNESSES M w m m m N. PETERS. PhowLiuw m ner. Washington D. c.

' Urvirnn Sterne Parent union.

FRANK M. J EFFERY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

SPRING-"BED.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 399,902, dated March 19, 1889.

Application filed July 25, 1888. Serial No. 280,969. (No model.)

To all whom it may ccnccrw Be it known that I, FRANK M. J EFFERY, a citizen of the United States, residing in Jersey City, Hudson county, New Jersey, have invented certain Improvements in Spring- Beds, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of beds wherein the fabric which supports the bedding is strained on a stout frame. The fabric in this class of bedsds usually of wovenwire fabric, the coils of which extend lengthwise of the frame. In some cases the fabric has been strained elastically over the frame by springs, and my bed belongs to'this latter class.

One feature of my invention consists in confining the ends of the fabric to cross-bars and mounting these bars on the ends of upright spring-arms, which form parts of the straining-springs. I employ torsional springs, and these are provided by preference with means for varying their tension.

Another feature of the invention consists in providing the torsion-springs so arranged with their tension devices, such as will be hereinafter described.

My invention will be fully described hereinafter, and its novel features carefully defined in the claims.

In the drawings which serve to illustrate my invention, Figure 1 is a plan of a bed provided with my improvements. Fig. 2 is aside elevation of, the same. Fig. is a'transverse section on line 3 3 in Fig. 1, and Fig. at is a section on line i 4. in Fig.1. Fig. 5 is a View of the device for varying the tension of the straining-springs, on a large scale. Fig. 6 is a view illustrating a variation in the arrange ment of the torsional straining-springs, that will be hereinafter described.

A A are the side rails of the frame, represented in Figs. 1 and 2 as broken away at two points for lack of room to show a full-length bed on the chosen scale.

B B are the end rails, which are firmly se cured to rails A and form therewith a strong rectangular frame.

0 represents the strained fabric to support the bedding. Only a small portion of the fabric is shown in Fig. 1, as it would, if in place, obscure the straining-springs. This with the springs, I will only describe those at one end of the same.

On one end of the end rail, B, is mounted a metal block, E, (seen detached in Fig. 5,) which is provided with two cylindrical bores, in which are fitted, so as to rotate, two socket-pieces, a I), each of which has a square to receive a wrench and a square socket, c, to receive the square end of a torsionspring. The periphcries of these socket-pieces have or may have slight recesses in the nature of equally-spaced shallow concave notches. In tapering recesses at the margins of the bores in the block are mounted like locking-pins, d (1,. one in each recess. The pin and tapering recess forms a sort of pawl or brake that will allow the socketpiecc to be turned freely in one direction, but look it against movement in the other direction. The squared end of a torsionspring, 6, is fitted into the socket-piece a, and said spring projects across the bed and has an upright arm,f, on its free end, which is secured to the bar D by means of an eyebolt and nut, g, and a metal plate, h. Another similar torsional spring, 2', has its squared end fitted in the socket in the socket-piece h, and said spring extends out to a point near the middle of the bar D, where an upright arm, j, on its free end is secured to said bar by an eyebolt and plate like that which secures the arm f. 011 the other end of the rail B is mounted another block, E,-precisely like block E, and provided with rotative socket-pieces a 1), precisely like socket-pieces a Z). In these socketpieccs a h are fitted, respectively, two torsional springs, c and '21, having arms and j precisely like the arms on the other springs, and secured to the bar Din a like manner. The longer springs, c 6, cross each other at the middle of the bed; but the shorter springs, 1; i, do not extend to the middle. Thus the bar D, as clearly seen in Fig. 3, is supported on the upper ends of the four spring-arms ff jj. The springs e e are the main springs and the springs 'i a" are auxiliaries. In some cases only one set of springs maybe needed. I do not limit myself to any particular num ber of springs; but they will be arranged in pairs when torsional springs are employed.

In order to hold the bodies of the springs against lateral play, they are arranged in slotted keepers 7a 70, one of which is clearly shown in Fig. 4. These keepers will be of metal, by preference, and they will be arranged near the upright arms on the respective springs. The arms f f jj at the ends of the bed strain the fabric, 0, and the strain may be increased by increasing the tension of the springs. This is effected by applying a wrench t0 the square on the socket-piece and rotating it in the proper direction.

Fig. 6 illustrates a cheaper construction than that shown in the principal figures. This figure represents an end view of a bed similar to that before described, but provided with only two springs, e e? In lieu of employing eyebolts to secure the arms ff to the bar D, the ends of said arms are bent at a right angle to the arms and pass.

through holes in said bar, being provided on their ends with suitable nuts or like securing devices.

The tension-regulators are omitted in the construction, and the ends of the springs are bent down and pass through the rails, being secured by nuts or other means.

The frame of a bed of this class must be strong and stiff, and these frames are not adapted to be taken apart and put together by the user, nor to be rolled up.

In order that the bed may be folded into a convenient compass for handling and transportation, I provide the side rails, A A, with hinges or joints Z Z, preferably at their middles, whereby they may be folded at this point. As the strain is in the plane of the fabric, 0, at some distance above the rails, I construct the joint in such a manner that the ends of the two rail-sections abut end to end above the axis of the hinge. In other words, I employ a rule-joint, so called, or other device for preventing the hinge from flexing in both directions: The joint as herein constructed flexes upward in folding the frame.

One of the objects in hinging the side rails is to enable the bed to be dismembered-that is, to produce a knockdown bed by making the side rails, A, detachable from the end rails, B. As herein shown, this is effected by securing to the end rails, B, metal sockets a a which receive the ends of the side rails, A, the inclosed ends or tenons on the latter being grooved to make room for the inner end of bolt b When the hinges in the side rails are flexed, the latter may be withdrawn from the sockets. I do not limit myself, however, to this mode of detachably connectingv the side and end rails. The plate h forms a sort of bearing for the upper end of the springarm, and is furnished with a projecting lip that takes over the upper end of said arm. The bolt 9 passes through the plate h and holds it up to the bar D, and also through the members of said bar and secures them together.

The advantage possessed in a structure of this kind by torsion-springs over the ordinary coil-springs is that they afford a greater tension or elastic resistance in proportion to their number and to the cross-section of the metal used in the spring, and they do not set under prolonged tension so quickly as the other forms of springs. Moreover, they are better adapted for use with tension-varying devices or regulators than the springs so commonly employed in this class of beds.

My object in using 'rigid end bars, as D, on the fabric to form a connection between said fabric and the springs is in part to provide the fabric, which is collapsible laterally, with a stretcher to keep it properly distended, and in part to distribute the effect of the springs evenly throughout the width of the fabric. Where such end bars are not employed, numerous springs must be used, equally distributed across the width of the bed. It is believed that a woven-wire fabric like that I employ renders a bar of this character neces sary.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In a spring-bed, the combination, with the frame, the fabric for supporting the bedding, and the end bars on said fabric, of the torsional springs secured at one end to the frame and having on their other ends upright spring-arms attached at their tops to the said end bars and carrying the latter, the torsional bodies of said springs being arranged substantially parallel with said bars, as set' forth.

2. In a spring-bed, the combination, with the frame, the fabric for supporting the bedding, and the end bars on said fabric, of the torsional straining-springs secured at one end to the frame and having at their other ends spring-arms which carry the end bars on the fabric, and the tension-regulators for said springs, said tension-regulators being mounted on the bed-frame and the ends of the respective springs being set in sockets in the same, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the bed-fram e, the fabric for supporting the bedding, and the end bars on said fabric, of the main torsional springs provided with spring-arms attached to said end bars, the auxiliary torsional springs provided also with spring-arms attached to said end bars, and tension-regulators for said springs mounted on the bed-frame, said regulators comprising a socket-piece rotatively mounted in a block and provided with a socket which receives the squared end of the spring, a square to receive a wrench, and a brake to prevent backward rotation, as set forth,

my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK M. JEFFERY.

Vitnesses:

HENRY CONNETT, J. D. OoPLINeER. 

